Victory Bell (Duke–North Carolina)

Victory Bell
Duke Blue Devils
North Carolina Tar Heels
First meetingNovember 27, 1888
Duke 16, North Carolina 0
Latest meetingSeptember 28, 2024
Duke 21, North Carolina 20
Next meeting2025 in Chapel Hill, NC
TrophyVictory Bell
Statistics
Meetings total111 (76 trophy meetings)
All-time seriesNorth Carolina leads, 64–41–4
Largest victoryNorth Carolina, 50–0 (1959)
Longest win streakNorth Carolina, 13 (1990–2002)
Current win streakDuke, 1 (2024–present)
Map
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North Carolina
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Duke
Locations in Durham and Chapel Hill.

The Victory Bell is the traveling trophy given to the winner of the annual football game between the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The game was worth two points in the now-defunct, yearlong Carlyle Cup between the two schools.[1]

History

North Carolina and Duke first met in football in 1888, and the series has been renewed annually since 1922.

In the fall of 1948, UNC Head Cheerleader Norman Sper along with Loring Jones of Duke, likely inspired by other traveling trophies in college football, came up with the idea for the Victory Bell. Jones designed the frame and Sper obtained an old railway bell from the Southern Railway.[2] North Carolina won possession of the first-ever Victory Bell game with a 20–0 shutout victory at Kenan Memorial Stadium in 1948.[3]

At one time, the series was every bit as heated as the basketball rivalry between the two schools. But in the 40 years from 1970 to 2009, Duke only managed 7 wins, including a series record streak of 13 consecutive Carolina wins from 1990 through 2002.

However, this rivalry has been revived in recent years as Duke has again become competitive in the rivalry, with both teams having won five games each from 2010 through 2019.

Duke victories in the 2012 and 2013 games marked the first time Duke had won consecutive games in the series since winning three straight from 1987 to 1989.

After consecutive North Carolina victories in 2014 and 2015, Duke matched its longest winning streak in the last 30 years with wins in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

This streak for Duke was broken on October 26, 2019 as Carolina clinched a 20–17 victory when Chazz Surratt picked off Deon Jackson’s trick-play pass at the goal line with 14 seconds left.[4]

With Carolina's 47–45 double overtime victory on November 11, 2023, Carolina posted five consecutive victories in the series.[5] Duke would end Carolina's winning streak the next season with the second-largest comeback in program history, rallying from a 20-0 second-half deficit to win 21-20.[6]

Traditions

Pep rally at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill prior to the 1944 game

It has been a tradition as of late for the winner to spray-paint the platform of the trophy to match their school colors--Carolina blue for North Carolina and royal blue for Duke. After losing the Victory Bell in 2003, North Carolina came back the next year and beat Duke 40–17 in Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium.[3] After the conclusion of the game, North Carolina football players immediately spray-painted the platform Carolina blue, leaving large amounts of Carolina blue paint residue on the track of the stadium.[7] Whenever North Carolina has been in possession of the Victory Bell, cheerleaders wheel it out while ringing the bell at the same time the live ram mascot, Rameses, is brought out onto the field. The bell is also displayed in front of the students' section.

Game results

While the two schools agree that North Carolina leads the series, they do not agree on the overall record. North Carolina claims an all-time lead of 64–40–4;[8] Duke claims North Carolina leads 65–41–4.[9] The dispute centers around an 1889 game in which both North Carolina and Trinity stayed home because they believed they were the home team. As a result, both schools claim the game as a win by forfeit, 1–0. Most neutral recordkeepers credit the game to North Carolina.[3]

Both schools agree that North Carolina vacated its wins in 2008 and 2009. Both schools also agree that North Carolina leads the series since the introduction of the Victory Bell with a record of 49–26–1, with two vacated North Carolina wins.[1]

Note: Duke was known as Trinity College until 1924.

Duke victoriesNorth Carolina victoriesTie gamesVacated wins[10]
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
1 November 27, 1888 Durham, NC Trinity 16 North Carolina 0
2 May 8, 1889 Raleigh, NC Trinity 25 North Carolina 17
3 1889 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 1 Trinity 0
4 November 20, 1891 Chapel Hill, NC Trinity 6 North Carolina 4
5 November 12, 1892 Durham, NC North Carolina 24 Trinity 0
6 October 28, 1893 Durham, NC Trinity 6 North Carolina 4
7 October 24, 1894 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 28 Trinity 0
8 October 12, 1922 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 20 Trinity 0
9 October 12, 1923 Durham, NC North Carolina 14 Trinity 6
10 October 11, 1924 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 6 Duke 0
11 October 10, 1925 Durham, NC North Carolina 41 Duke 0
12 October 16, 1926 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 6 Duke 0
13 November 19, 1927 Durham, NC North Carolina 18 Duke 0
14 December 8, 1928 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 14 Duke 7
15 December 7, 1929 Durham, NC North Carolina 48 Duke 7
16 December 6, 1930 Chapel Hill, NC Tie0Tie0
17 November 21, 1931 Durham, NC Tie0Tie0
18 November 19, 1932 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 7 North Carolina 0
19 November 18, 1933 Durham, NC Duke 21 North Carolina 0
20 November 17, 1934 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 7 Duke 0
21 November 16, 1935 Durham, NC Duke 25 North Carolina 0
22 November 14, 1936 Chapel Hill, NC #13 Duke 27 North Carolina 7
23 November 13, 1937 Durham, NC North Carolina 14 #8 Duke 6
24 October 29, 1938 Chapel Hill, NC #11 Duke 14 North Carolina 0
25 November 18, 1939 Durham, NC #13 Duke 13 #7 North Carolina 3
26 November 16, 1940 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 6 #12 Duke 3
27 November 15, 1941 Durham, NC #3 Duke 20 North Carolina 0
28 November 14, 1942 Chapel Hill, NC Tie13Tie13
29 October 16, 1943 Durham, NC Duke 14 North Carolina 7
30 November 20, 1943 Chapel Hill, NC #6 Duke 27 North Carolina 6
31 November 25, 1944 Chapel Hill, NC #11 Duke 33 North Carolina 0
32 November 24, 1945 Durham, NC #15 Duke 14 North Carolina 7
33 November 23, 1946 Chapel Hill, NC #14 North Carolina 22 Duke 7
34 November 22, 1947 Durham, NC #13 North Carolina 21 Duke 0
35 November 20, 1948 Chapel Hill, NC #5 North Carolina 20 Duke 0
36 November 19, 1949 Durham, NC North Carolina 21 Duke 20
37 November 25, 1950 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 7 North Carolina 0
38 November 24, 1951 Durham, NC Duke 19 North Carolina 7
39 November 22, 1952 Chapel Hill, NC #20 Duke 34 North Carolina 0
40 November 28, 1953 Durham, NC Duke 35 North Carolina 20
41 November 27, 1954 Chapel Hill, NC #20 Duke 47 North Carolina 12
42 November 26, 1955 Durham, NC #18 Duke 6 North Carolina 0
43 November 24, 1956 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 21 North Carolina 6
44 November 23, 1957 Durham, NC North Carolina 21 #11 Duke 13
45 November 22, 1958 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 7 #17 North Carolina 6
46 November 21, 1959 Durham, NC North Carolina 50 Duke 0
47 November 19, 1960 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 7 #6 Duke 6
48 November 18, 1961 Durham, NC Duke 6 North Carolina 3
49 November 24, 1962 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 16 North Carolina 14
50 November 28, 1963 Durham, NC North Carolina 16 Duke 14
51 November 21, 1964 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 21 Duke 15
52 November 20, 1965 Durham, NC Duke 34 North Carolina 7
53 November 19, 1966 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 41 North Carolina 25
54 November 18, 1967 Durham, NC North Carolina 20 Duke 9
55 November 23, 1968 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 25 Duke 14
56 November 22, 1969 Durham, NC Duke 17 North Carolina 13
57 November 21, 1970 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 59 Duke 34
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
58 November 20, 1971 Durham, NC North Carolina 38 Duke 0
59 November 18, 1972 Chapel Hill, NC #16 North Carolina 14 Duke 0
60 November 24, 1973 Durham, NC Duke 27 North Carolina 10
61 November 23, 1974 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 14 Duke 13
62 November 22, 1975 Durham, NC Tie17Tie17
63 November 20, 1976 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 39 Duke 38
64 November 19, 1977 Durham, NC #18 North Carolina 16 Duke 3
65 November 25, 1978 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 16 Duke 15
66 November 24, 1979 Durham, NC North Carolina 37 Duke 16
67 November 22, 1980 Chapel Hill, NC #15 North Carolina 44 Duke 21
68 November 21, 1981 Durham, NC #12 North Carolina 31 Duke 10
69 November 20, 1982 Durham, NC Duke 23 North Carolina 17
70 November 19, 1983 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 34 Duke 27
71 November 24, 1984 Durham, NC North Carolina 17 Duke 15
72 November 23, 1985 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 23 North Carolina 21
73 November 22, 1986 Durham, NC North Carolina 42 Duke 35
74 November 21, 1987 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 25 North Carolina 10
75 November 19, 1988 Durham, NC Duke 35 North Carolina 29
76 November 18, 1989 Chapel Hill, NC #25 Duke 41 North Carolina 0
77 November 17, 1990 Durham, NC North Carolina 24 Duke 22
78 November 23, 1991 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 47 Duke 14
79 November 21, 1992 Durham, NC #21 North Carolina 31 Duke 28
80 November 26, 1993 Chapel Hill, NC #13 North Carolina 38 Duke 24
81 November 19, 1994 Durham, NC North Carolina 41 #24 Duke 40
82 November 18, 1995 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 28 Duke 24
83 November 23, 1996 Durham, NC #13 North Carolina 27 Duke 10
84 November 22, 1997 Chapel Hill, NC #8 North Carolina 50 Duke 14
85 November 21, 1998 Durham, NC North Carolina 28 Duke 6
86 November 20, 1999 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 38 Duke 0
87 November 18, 2000 Durham, NC North Carolina 59 Duke 21
88 November 17, 2001 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 52 Duke 17
89 November 23, 2002 Durham, NC North Carolina 23 Duke 21
90 November 22, 2003 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 30 North Carolina 22
91 November 20, 2004 Durham, NC North Carolina 40 Duke 17
92 November 19, 2005 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 24 Duke 21
93 November 25, 2006 Durham, NC North Carolina 45 Duke 44
94 November 24, 2007 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 20 Duke 14
95 November 29, 2008 Durham, NC North Carolina† 28 Duke 20
96 November 7, 2009 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina† 19 Duke 6
97 November 27, 2010 Durham, NC North Carolina 24 Duke 19
98 November 26, 2011 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 37 Duke 21
99 October 20, 2012 Durham, NC Duke 33 North Carolina 30
100 November 30, 2013 Chapel Hill, NC #24 Duke 27 North Carolina 25
101 November 20, 2014 Durham, NC North Carolina 45 #25 Duke 20
102 November 7, 2015 Chapel Hill, NC #21 North Carolina 66 Duke 31
103 November 10, 2016 Durham, NC Duke 28 #15 North Carolina 27
104 September 23, 2017 Chapel Hill, NC Duke 27 North Carolina 17
105 November 10, 2018 Durham, NC Duke 42 North Carolina 35
106 October 26, 2019 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 20 Duke 17
107 November 7, 2020 Durham, NC North Carolina 56 Duke 24
108 October 2, 2021 Chapel Hill, NC North Carolina 38 Duke 7
109 October 15, 2022 Durham, NC North Carolina 38 Duke 35
110 November 11, 2023 Chapel Hill, NC #24 North Carolina 47 Duke 452OT
111 September 28, 2024 Durham, NC Duke 21 North Carolina 20
Series: North Carolina leads 64–41–4
† North Carolina vacated wins as part of NCAA penalties[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "UNC, Duke will battle for the bell for the 67th time". The Daily Tar Heel.
  2. ^ "A Rambling Ram and A Traveling Trophy". UNC Library. December 7, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c DeLassus, David. "North Carolina vs Duke (NC)". North Carolina Game by Game against Opponents. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  4. ^ "Surratt's goal-line interception lifts UNC past Duke 20-17". Associated Press. October 26, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  5. ^ "No. 24 UNC survives 2OT thriller to beat rival Duke 47-45 in home finale". Associated Press. November 11, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "RING THE BELL: Historic Comeback Ignites Duke to Victory over Tar Heels". GoDuke.com. September 28, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  7. ^ Blank, Daniel (November 22, 2004). "Tar Heels ring bell by defeating Duke". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
  8. ^ 2011 North Carolina Football Media Guide, pp. 173–174
  9. ^ 2011 Duke Football Media Guide Archived 2012-05-13 at the Wayback Machine, p. 92
  10. ^ "Forfeits and Vacated Games". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "UNC vacates 2008, 2009 wins ahead of hearing". ESPN.com. September 19, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2022.